Shoe support



y 8, 31951 A. o. HURXTHAL 2,551,603

SHOE SUPPORT Filed July 1, 1949 Patented May 8, 1951 UNITED 2,55Ltt3 STATES PATENT GFFHCEI SHOE SUPPORT Alpheus 0. Hurxthal, Wyncote, Pa.

Application July 1, 1949, Serial No. 102,548

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in shoe supports for the purpose of straightening the shoe.

When a shoe is being worn in the action of walking the sole of the shoe is caused to curve upward toward the toe and unless something is done to correct this curvature upward, the curvature will increase with the use of the shoe and take a permanent set. This curving upward of the sole of the shoe causes the top of the shoe to form in wrinkles just back of the cap and in a short while a shoe which otherwise would have a neat appearance looks prematurely old which thereby shortens the useful life of the shoe.

To overcome this, it is quite customary to insert a shoe-tree or the like into the shoe when it is removed from the foot. These internal trees conform generally to the shape of a persons foot and for the most part are relatively expensive so that a person usually has only one or two pairs which must be shifted back and forth between the different pairs of shoes as they are worn and hence the pair of shoes which the person has been wearing usually is left without support overnight until the wearer decides to wear a different pair of shoes.

With the foregoing in mind, the principal object-of the present invention is to provide a novel shoe support or straightener which is of very simplified construction, is small in use so that it can be moved from place to place and stored out of sight with substantial ease and facility, and which is comparatively inexpensive so that it can be made available to everyone through the low priced chain stores.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support for straightening shoes wherein the shoe is supported as a cantilever so that the weight of the shoe itself furnishes a corrective force tending to straighten not only the sole of the shoe but to remove the wrinkles from the top of the shoe and restore it to its proper shape.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe support or straightener having the characteristics and advantages set forth which is adapted to support a plurality of shoes at a time, the support being constructed so that the shoes of a pair may be mounted in opposing relation to each other at opposite sides of the support to provide a balanced assembly.

These and other objects of the invention and the various features and details of the construction and operation thereof are hereinafter fully set forth and described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a View in plan of a shoe support or straightener made according to the present invention, a pair of shoes being shown in broken lines in operative association therewith;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a support or straightener embodying the invention;

Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevational views of a shoe showing, respectively, the condition of a shoe which has not been adequately supported or straightened when not being worn, and the condition of a shoe which has been properly supported when not worn; and

Fig. 6 is a view in plan showing an alternate manner of mounting a pair of shoes upon the support of the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the shoe support or straightener made according to the present invention may comprise a base i of suitable material such as, for example, wood, metal, plastic or the like having a plane upper surface 2. The shape or configuration of the base I may vary Widely but for most purposes a quadrilateral base member such as that shown in the accompanying drawing is preferred.

Formed centrally through the base I of the shoe support is a tapped bore or opening 3 into. which is received the threaded shank portion 4 of a shoe holding element or cap that is generally designated by the reference numeral 5 and ineludes a head portion 8 arranged concentrically with respect to the shank portion 4. As shown more particularlyin Fig.2of the drawing,the head portion 6 of the holder 5 is horizontally disposed in generally parallel relation with respect to the upper surface 2 of the base i and projects laterally outward over the latter a substantial distance outwardly from the shank while terminating inwardly of the lateral side edges of the base I.

As shown in the drawing, the outline shape or configuration of the holder head portion 6 is polygonal, for example, in general correspondence to the configuration of the base I. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the respective side edges of the holder head 6 are concave as shown at l and these concave side edge portions are provided with an outwardly declining or sloping bevel 3. In this connection it is to be noted that at least two oppositely arranged side edges 1 of the holder head 5 have an arc of concavity and an angle of bevel such that these edge portions may be rereceived in the generally wedge-shaped space between the toe of the shoe and the forward upper edge portion of the sole of the shoe, for example, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

When using a support or straightener made according to the present invention, the holder 5 is adjusted relative to the base i to provide just suiiicient clearance between the upper surface 2 of the latter and the undersurface of the holder head 6 to receive therebetween the front or forward edge portions of the soles of a pair of shoes.

This adjustment of the holder 5 may be accomplished by screwing its shank in or out with respect to the base I. When the holder 5 has been properly adjusted with respect to the base I the shoes to be support-1d and straightened are mounted thereon in the relation shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with oppositely arranged lateral edges 1 of the head 6 engaging the shoe at the upper forward peripheral edge portion of the sole with the underside of the sole seated upon the outwardly adjacent upper side edge of the base I along a line spaced outwardly with respect to the engagement of the lateral edges 1 of the holder head 6 with the upper side of the forward edge portion of the sole.

By this arrangement it will be observed that each shoe is supported in the manner of a cantilever that extends outwardly from the device and hence substantially the entire weight of the shoe acts about a fulcrum at hte line of contact of the sole with the base I to tend to straighten the sole and support the shoe in a generally tensioned state. An alternate method of supporting shoes in a device which may be used in connection with the so-called toe-less type of shoes is shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing. Moreover, in the present arrangement, the shoes of a pair may be mounted in opposing relation to each other at opposite sides of the support to provide a completely self-balancing assembly.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the present invention provides a novel shoe support and sole straightener of extremely simple construction which is small in size and inexpensive to manufacture. The invention also provides a shoe support and straightener which may be used with facility and ease to support a pair of shoes overnight without the necessity of in serting and removing the more cumbersome shoetrees of conventional type. Furthermore, the support of the present invention may be kept readily at hand for use with much less bother than is required in connection with the handling of conventional shoe-trees every night and morn- Moreover, a shoe support and sole straightener embodying the present invention has been found to be highly efficient and effective in supporting and straightening the soles of shoes when they are not being worn thereby maintaining them in a condition such as that shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, and free from creases and cracks in the upper leather of the shoe across the toe or box thereof, for example, as shown in Fig. 4. Furthermore, the support or straightener of the present invention may be taken along and used while traveling without taking up more space in the luggage or while in use.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention to such disclosure, and changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe support and straightener comprising a base, a holder element mounted centrally of the base and having a head portion projecting laterally outward in overlying relation to the base, said head portion having at least two oppositely arranged edge portions constructed to engage respectively the upper forward edge of the sole of one of a pair of shoes when the latter are seated upon the base in opposing relation at opposite sides thereof to provide a balanced assembly, and said base being dimensioned with respect to said heel portion to engage and support the under surface of the shoe sole closely adjacent the forward edge only thereof so that substantially the entire length of the shoe extends freely beyond the base.

2. A shoe support and straightener comprising a base, a, holder element mounted centrally of the base and having a head portion projecting laterally outward in overlying relation to the base, said head portion having at least two oppositely arranged concave edge portions to engage respectively the upper forward edge of the sole of one of a pair of shoes when the latter are seated upon the base in opposing relation at opposite sides thereof to provide a balanced assembly, and said base being dimensioned with respect to said heel portion to engage and support the under surface of the shoe sole closely adjacent the forward edge only thereof so that substantially the entire length of the shoe extends freely beyond the base.

3. A shoe support and straightener comprising a base, a holder element adjustably mounted centrally in said base and having a head portion projecting laterally outward in overlying relation to the base and terminating inwardly of the edges of the latter, said head portion having at least two horizontally concave and vertically beveled edge portions at opposite sides thereof to engage respectively the upper forward edge of the sole of one of a pair of shoes when the undersurfaces of the latter are seated upon the base in opposing relation at opposite sides thereof to provide a balanced assembly, and said base being dimensioned with respect to said heel portion to engage and support the under surface of the shoe sole closely adjacent the forward edge only thereof so that substantially the entire length of the shoe extends freely beyond the base.

4. A shoe support and straightener comprising a base, a holder element having a shank adjustably threaded in said base and a head portion projecting laterally outward from the shank in overlying relation to the base, said head portion having at least two edge portions arranged at opposite sides of the holder shank to engage respectively the upper forward edge of the sole of one of a pair of shoes when the latter are engaged upon the base in opposing relation at opposite sides thereof to provide a balanced assembly, and said base being dimensioned with respect to said heel portion to engage and support the under surface of the shoe sole closely adjacent the forward edge only thereof so that substantially the entire length of the shoe extends freely beyond the base.

5. A shoe support and straightener comprising a base, a holder element having a shank adjustably threaded in said base and a head portion projecting laterally outward from the shank in overlying relation to the base, said head portion having at least two concave edge portions arranged at opposite sides thereof to engage respectively the upper forward edge of the sole of one of a pair of shoes when the latter are seated upon the base in opposing relation at opposite sides thereof to provide a balanced assembly, and said base being dimensioned with respect to said heel portion to engage and support the under surface of the shoe sole closely adjacent the forward edge only thereof so that substantially the entire length of the shoe extends freely beyond the base.

6. A shoe support and straightener comprising a base, a holder element having a shank adjustably threaded in said base and a head portion projecting laterally outward from the shank in overlying relation to the base and terminating inwardly of the sides of the latter, said head portion having at least two horizontally concave and vertically beveled edge portions arranged at opposite sides thereof to engage respectively the upper forward edge of the sole of one of a pair of shoes when the latter are seated upon the base in opposing relation at opposite sides thereof to provide abalanced assembly, and said base being dimensioned with respect to said heel portion to engage and support the under surface of the shoe sole closely adjacent the forward edge only thereof so that substantially the entire length of the shoe extends freely beyond the base.

7. A shoe support and straightener comprising a base, a holder element mounted on the base and having a head portion projecting laterally outward in overlying relation to the base, said head having an edge portion constructed to engage the upper forward edge of the sole of a shoe when the latter is seated upon the base thereby providing a cantilever arrangement wherein substantially the entire weight of the shoe is efiective to straighten the shoe, and said base being dimensioned with respect to said heel portion to engage and support the under surface of the shoe sole closely adjacent the forward edge only thereof so that substantially the entire length of the shoe extends freely beyond the base.

ALPHEUS O. HURXTHAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

